LED multi-chip lighting units and related methods

ABSTRACT

Light emitting device multi-chip lighting units and related methods are disclosed. According to one aspect, a white LED chip, a red LED chip, a blue LED chip, and a green LED chip are operably configured to a semiconductor substrate positioned within a lighting unit housing. The lighting unit can therefore provide a white light beam, a red light beam, a green light beam, and a blue light beam. The LED chips can be configured on the substrate such that the emitted light beams can overlap. Thus, in addition to the white LED chip providing a white light beam, the red LED chip, the blue LED chip, and the green LED chip can be actuated simultaneously with the white LED chip to combine and emit a more powerful and intense white light beam. Additionally, the red LED chip, the blue LED chip and the green LED chip can be actuated simultaneously to emit an intermediary intensity white light beam from the lighting unit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The subject matter described herein relates to semiconductor lightemitting devices. More particularly, the subject matter described hereinrelates to multiple light emitting device chips configured to a singlesubstrate that can be housed in a lighting unit and related methods.

BACKGROUND

Semiconductor light emitting devices, such as a light emitting diode(LED), may be provided in a package for protection, color selection,focusing, and the like for light emitted by the device. An LED packagegenerally includes a substrate member on which an LED is mounted. TheLED may include a mounting pad attached to the substrate member withelectrical connections being made to the LED for applying an electricalbias. LEDs generally comprise an active region of semiconductor materialsandwiched between two oppositely doped layers. When a bias is appliedacross the doped layers, holes and electrons are injected into theactive region where they recombine to generate light. Light is emittedomnidirectionally from the active layer and from all surfaces of theLED. The substrate member may also include traces or metal leads forconnecting the package to external circuitry and the substrate may alsoact as a heat sink to conduct heat away from the LED during operation.

An LED package may include a lens positioned for receiving light emittedby an LED in the package. The lens may include optical materialsintended to influence or change the nature of the light emitted by theLED. Further, the lens may be suitably shaped for scattering the lightand/or otherwise redirecting or influencing the light.

Increasingly, LED packages are finding their way into everydaycommercial products such as flashlights, spotlights, safety vehiclelighting, and internal vehicle lighting systems. For various reasons,devices providing a range of light beam colors are sought by militarypersonnel, law enforcement personnel, and hunters. For example, redlight can be used on vessels and helicopters at night so as not todisturb night vision of the human eye while still allowingmaneuverability. Also, blue light can be used to differentiate andfollow certain liquids (e.g., blood, oil, hydraulic fluid, etc.) sinceparticular liquids absorb blue light wavelengths differently. This canbe advantageous for hunters tracking animal blood when visibility islimited or automotive technicians seeking the source of an oil leak.

LED packages provide a challenge in effecting the different color beamsneeded for these various applications. In current lighting units, beamfilters are mechanically attached and employed to filter white light forproviding the various color beams. The beam filters can be either addedto the light in front of a lens as a mechanical attachment or by someother design intent. Typically, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,761,467to Matthews et al., the beam filters operate on a flip-up design thatallows a quick transition back to a white light beam. In other aspects,the beam filters operate by rotating the lens in front of the lightsource, which is offset from the central body axis, to allow selectionof multiple beam filters by rotation of the lens.

Additionally, multiple color lamps can be positioned inside lightingunits such as flashlights to provide various color beams. These lightingunits change colors, however, by activating individual lamps whereineach individual lamp comprises a single chip emitting a single color.This configuration of multiple lamps does not approach the brightnessneeds or reflector efficiency required for these lighting units. Also,the use of multiple lamps is limited by size constraints of the lightingunit such that the lamps are off-centered, leading to beam shifting. Itis therefore desirable to provide improvements in LED lighting unitscapable of emitting multiple color light beams. Particularly, it wouldbe beneficial to eliminate the use of beam filters and multiple lampswithin the lighting unit housing.

Accordingly, there exists a long-felt need for LED multi-chip lightingunits and related methods that provide improvements in lighting unitsemploying various color light beams as well as the powering propertiesafforded by LEDs versus traditional gas filled lighting sources.

SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, novel LED multi-chip lighting unitsand related methods are provided for emitting individually selectablecolored light beams while also providing a dual-output white light beam.

It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide LEDmulti-chip lighting units and related methods for emitting individuallyselectable colored light beams without the use of beam filters orindividual color lamps.

An object having been stated above, and which is achieved in whole or inpart by the subject matter disclosed herein, other objects will becomeevident as the description proceeds when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings as best described hereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the subject matter described herein will now beexplained with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a multi-chip lamp source assembly accordingto an embodiment of the subject matter described herein;

FIG. 1A is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment to FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a multi-chip lamp having asubstantially flat substrate surface according to the subject matterdescribed herein;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a multi-chip lamp having aconcave substrate surface according to the subject matter describedherein; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a substrate and a red LED chip, a blue LEDchip, a green LED chip, and a white LED chip according to the subjectmatter described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Light emitting device multi-chip lighting units and related methods aredescribed herein with reference to FIGS. 1-4. As illustrated in FIGS.1-4, some sizes of structures or portions may be exaggerated relative toother structures or portions for illustrative purposes and, thus, areprovided to illustrate the general structures of the subject matterdisclosed herein. Further, various aspects of the subject matterdisclosed herein are described with reference to a structure or aportion being formed on other structures, portions, or both. As will beappreciated by those of skill in the art, references to a structurebeing formed “on” or “above” another structure or portions contemplatesthat additional structure, portion, or both may intervene. References toa structure or a portion being formed “on” another structure or portionwithout an intervening structure or portion are described herein asbeing formed “directly on” the structure or portion.

Furthermore, relative terms such as “on” or “above” are used herein todescribe one structure's or portion's relationship to another structureor portion as illustrated in the Figures. It will be understood thatrelative terms such as “on” or “above” are intended to encompassdifferent orientations of the device in addition to the orientationdepicted in the Figures. For example, if the device in the Figures isturned over, structure or portion described as “above” other structuresor portions would now be oriented “below” the other structures orportions. Likewise, if the device in the Figures is rotated along anaxis, structure or portion described as “above” other structures orportions would now be oriented “next to” or “left of” the otherstructures or portions. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

According to one aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein, amulti-chip lamp source assembly is provided that can be housed within alighting unit such as a flashlight. The lighting unit can include themulti-chip lamp source assembly, a power supply source operablyconfigured to the multi-chip lamp source assembly, and a housing thatcan carry the multi-chip lamp source assembly and the power supplysource. The multi-chip lamp source assembly can include a semiconductorsubstrate adapted for attachment of multiple light emitting devicechips. A red LED chip can be attached to the semiconductor substrate andcan emit a substantially red light beam. A blue LED chip can be attachedto the semiconductor substrate and can emit a substantially blue lightbeam. A green LED chip can be attached to the semiconductor substrateand can emit a substantially green light beam. A white LED chip can beattached to the semiconductor substrate and can emit a substantiallywhite light beam having a first intensity. In use, the assembly can behoused in lighting fixtures such as, for example, a flashlight toprovide various lighting effects for numerous applications.

As used herein, the term “light emitting device” may include an LED,laser diode, and/or other semiconductor device which includes one ormore semiconductor layers, which may include silicon, silicon carbide,gallium nitride and/or other semiconductor materials, a substrate whichmay include sapphire, silicon, silicon carbide and/or othermicroelectronic substrates, and one or more contact layers which mayinclude metal and/or other conductive layers. The design and fabricationof semiconductor light emitting devices is well known to those havingskill in the art and need not be described in detail herein. Forexample, the semiconductor light emitting device may be galliumnitride-based LEDs or lasers fabricated on a silicon carbide substratesuch as those devices manufactured and sold by Cree, Inc. of Durham,N.C., although other light emitting devices from other material systemsmay also be used.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a multi-chip lamp source assembly,generally designated 100, according to an embodiment of the subjectmatter described herein. Referring to FIG. 1, multi-chip lamp sourceassembly 100 can include a substrate 102 and a four chip array. The fourchip array can comprise a red LED chip 104, a blue LED chip 106, a greenLED chip 108, and a white LED chip 110 (collectively, “LED chips”). Inother aspects, multiple chips emitting the same color light beam can bepositioned on substrate 102 such that more than four chips are used. Forexample, two red LED chips, two blue LED chips, and two green LED chipscan be used in addition to a single white LED chip.

There can be numerous possible configurations and combinations of chips,provided that there is at least one red, one blue, one green, and onewhite LED chip. FIG. 1A is a top plan view of a multi-chip lamp sourceassembly, generally designated 200, comprising substrate 202, red LEDchip 204, blue LED chip 206, green LED chip 208, and white LED chip 210.

Multi-chip lamp source assembly 100 can provide a source for an LED lampand lighting unit such as, for example, a flashlight having multiplepowering options. White LED chip 110 can be used to produce a powerfulwhite light beam having a first intensity. LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110can be activated together to produce a white light beam having a secondintensity with a higher luminance than the white light beam produced andemitted by white LED chip 110 individually. Red LED chip 104, blue LEDchip 106, and green LED chip 108 can be powered simultaneously to alsoproduce a third intensity of medium luminance white light beam. Thus, amulti-output brightness can be provided, which can give flexibility to auser for selecting brightness. Additionally, red LED chip 104, blue LEDchip 106, and green LED chip 108 can each be individually activated bythe user to provide its respective colored light beam.

Substrate 102 can be a semiconductor material such as, for example,silicon, copper, silver, FR4, aluminum, thermally conductivepolycarbonate, or other suitable material. Substrate 102 may be formedof many different materials, including electrically insulatingmaterials. Suitable substrate materials also can include, but are notlimited to, ceramic materials such as aluminum nitride (AlN) and alumina(Al₂O₃). Dimensions of substrate 102 can vary widely depending onapplication and processes used to manufacture multi-chip lamp sourceassembly 100. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, substrate 102may have dimensions ranging from fractions of millimeters (mm) to tensof millimeters.

With continuing reference to FIG. 1, LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can beoperably connected to substrate 102. LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can becentered and symmetrically positioned on substrate 102. Proper alignmentof LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can advantageously prevent shifting of agiven light beam emitted from each chip. LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110can be offset from the center in any symmetrical manner. LED chips 104,106, 108, 110 can be equidistant angularly and evenly spaced so that theemitted beams overlap.

In this manner, beam filters can be eliminated from the lighting unitand the light source can remain virtually centered on substrate 102while the user can easily switch between beam colors without add-onhardware. In one particular aspect, LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can beoffset not more than 0.5 millimeters to eliminate beam shifting suchthat the emitted light can remain concentric regardless of the chip orchips emitting light. LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can be close enoughin proximity to create a common beam and wherein the beam does not shiftwhen the color or intensity changes. Also, additional chips can be usedfor additional lighting in various applications and can also be evenlyspaced among the other chips on substrate 102.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a multi-chip lamp, generally designated 150,can be formed using multi-chip lamp source assembly 100. A masking layer152 can be provided on top of substrate 102. A dome lens 154 can bepositioned over substrate 102 and LED chips 104, 106, 108 (not shown),110 (not shown). Dome lens 154 can be constructed of an encapsulantmaterial. The encapsulant material can be any suitable type of resinmaterial such as a silicone or epoxy-based material. The encapsulantmaterial can be cured such that it remains in a form with a convexmeniscus. Dome lens 154 can be clear such that LED chips 104, 106, 108,110 emit their true color light beams.

In other aspects, dome lens 154 can be phosphor shaded or colored suchas, for example, a green lens. In one embodiment where dome lens 154 isgreen, blue LED chip 106 can provide a powerful white light beam andwhite LED chip 110 can emit a green light beam. These embodiments can beconfigured in a number of ways to emit a white light beam, red lightbeam, blue light beam, and green light beam. Thus, for example, a redlight beam can be emitted from source assembly 200 with variouspredetermined combinations of chip colors, encapsulant material colors,or lens colors. The same applies to blue, green, and white light beams.

LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can be mounted on mounting pads 156attached to the top of substrate 102. Mounting pads 156 can be mountedto substrate 102 with electrical connections being made to LED chips104, 106, 108, 110 for applying an electrical bias. A top surface ofeach of LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can be connected to electricalconnections by conductive bond wires 158.

Referring to FIG. 2, the top of substrate 102 can be a simple flatsubstrate wherein LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 are placed on the levelsurface. This configuration can allow for light to potentially be lostout the sides unless a reflective lens surface in the light is used tocompensate. Referring to FIG. 3, the top of substrate 102 can bedesigned to include a curved surface as known in the art. The curvaturecan allow for more lumens to be directed through dome lens 154 insteadof losing a portion of the light through the sides. Additionally, alarger more traditional reflective flash light surface can then be usedto further focus the light beam.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of substrate 102 and LED chips 104, 106, 108,110. Referring to FIG. 4, substrate 102 includes a top surface 200 andmounting pads 156. LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can be mounted tomounting pad 156. Electrical traces can provide electrical connection toLED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 either through a submount (not shown) or bybond wires 158. Other aspects of LED packaging and structure not shownor described can be employed by those of ordinary skill in the art.These aspects can include, but are not limited to couplers, electricaltraces, and conductive portions.

A control chip (not shown) can be operably configured to multi-chip lampsource assembly 100 to regulate output for thermal purposes and powerconsumption. The control chip can be mounted on the substrate front-sideor back-side, in a tail section of the lighting unit, or any othersuitable location. The control chip can be used to allow individualcolor selection of LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 by individuallyactuating each chip. The control chip can also control the voltagesupplied to LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 for varying the brightnessemitted thereby, wherein brightness for each of the colors can beadjustable. Such a dimming function is desirable because white lightthat is too bright can be extremely intense and create long shadows.Furthermore, the control chip can be used to allow output of both awhite light having a first intensity and a more intense white lighthaving a second intensity. Also, the control chip can be used in thelighting unit to allow for types of controls for signaling or generaluse such as for example a red strobe light, a green strobe light, a bluestrobe light, a white strobe light, or a more intense white strobelight.

In use, multi-chip lamp source assembly 100 can be configured withcircuitry for actuating LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 individually andsets of chips such that the lighting unit can function in the desiredmanner without the use of filters or multiple lamps. The circuitry caninclude a power supply and logic as known to those of skill in the art.Multi-chip lamp source assembly 100 can be used as the light source foran LED lamp that can be housed in a lighting unit such as for example aflashlight or a lantern. Positioning LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 on asingle substrate 102 and having a single dome lens 154 can eliminate theneed for multiple LED lamps within a lighting unit housing. Such priorconfigurations are limited by physical constraints on the size of thehousing and placement of the LED lamps. Furthermore, these priorconfigurations position the LED lamps off-center, which can lead to beamshifting when changing beam colors. As such, it is advantageous toposition LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 on a single substrate 102 toprovide a single lamp with the features describe herein.

As controlled by the control chip, LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can beindividually actuated by the user, usually by some mechanical switch orknob attached to the lighting unit. White LED chip 110 can be turned toan ON position such that white LED chip 110 can emit a white lighthaving a first intensity. It is desirable to have multiple intensities,such as a high and low setting, of white light available for use invarious circumstances. To that end, LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can beactivated simultaneously to provide a white light having a secondintensity greater than that of the first intensity. The light emittedfrom red LED chip 104, blue LED chip 106, and green LED chip 108 combineto form the white light that is further combined and added to the lightemitted by white LED chip 110 to provide the white light having a secondintensity greater than that emitted by white LED chip 110 alone. In thismanner, multi-chip lamp source assembly 100 can provide multi-outputwhite light.

As mentioned hereinabove, LED chips 104, 106, 108, 110 can be centeredand aligned such that the beams substantially overlap and that when red,blue, and green light beams overlap they provide a white light beam.Thus, in one particular embodiment, the lighting unit can provide a redlight beam, a blue light beam, a green light beam, a low intensity whitelight beam, and a high intensity white light beam. Red LED chip 104,blue LED chip 106, and green LED chip 108 can be actuated simultaneouslywithout white LED chip 110 to provide a white light having a thirdintensity that has a luminance of medium intensity between the first andsecond intensities.

The intensities of each of these colored beams can be varied by usingthe control chip. Additionally, the control chip can be configured toprovide a strobe light effect. Such applications for this function caninclude a blue strobe light for law enforcement to use while on foot ordirecting traffic, a green strobe light for signaling, a red strobelight for signaling during night operations, and a white low intensitystrobe light for day signaling. Also, a medium and high intensity whitelight beam, as described hereinabove, can be utilized to provide a whitestrobe light with two additional intensities.

Thus, lighting units configured with multi-chip lamp source assembly 100can provide various color beams and intensities for use in a lightingunit without the need for filters or multiple lamps to provide multiplecolor beams. Instead, multi-chip lamp source assembly 100 can employ LEDchips 104, 106, 108, 110 on a single substrate and under a single domelens such that only one LED lamp is needed within the lighting unit toprovide the various colored light beams and a multi-output white lightbeam. Thus, a flashlight having multi-color beams and multi-output whitelight beams can be achieved by using a single LED lamp having LED chips104, 106, 108, 110 on a single substrate, rather than providing multiplelamps or beam filters as previously used.

It will be understood that various details of the presently disclosedsubject matter may be changed without departing from the scope of thepresently disclosed subject matter. Furthermore, the foregoingdescription is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for thepurpose of limitation.

1. A portable LED lighting unit for providing a plurality ofindividually selectable colored beams, the lighting unit comprising: ahousing; a power supply source carried by the housing; and a multi-chiplamp source assembly operably configured to the power supply source, themulti-chip lamp source assembly comprising: a semiconductor substrate;at least one white light emitting diode (LED) chip operably configuredto the semiconductor substrate to emit a substantially white light beam;at least one red LED chip operably configured to the semiconductorsubstrate to emit a substantially red light beam; at least one blue LEDchip operably configured to the semiconductor substrate to emit asubstantially blue light beam; and at least one green LED chip operablyconfigured to the semiconductor substrate to emit a substantially greenlight beam; and wherein the at least one white LED chip, the at leastone red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chip, and the least onegreen LED are configured to be actuatable to create at least two whitelight beams of different intensities.
 2. The portable LED lighting unitof claim 1, wherein the at least one white LED chip, the at least onered LED chip, the at least one blue LED chip and the at least one greenLED chip are centered symmetrically on the substrate.
 3. The portableLED lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one white LED chip,the at least one red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chip and the atleast one green LED chip are configured to be actuated individually andthe at least one white LED chip can be individually actuated to providea substantially white light beam having a first intensity.
 4. Theportable LED lighting unit of claim 3, wherein the at least one whiteLED chip is configured to emit light simultaneously with the at leastone red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chip and the at least onegreen LED chip to provide a substantially white light beam having asecond intensity.
 5. The portable LED lighting unit of claim 4, whereinthe second intensity is greater than the first intensity, therebyproviding multi-output brightness.
 6. The portable LED lighting unit ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one red LED chip, the at least one blueLED chip and the at least one green LED chip are configured to emitlight simultaneously that overlaps to provide a substantially whitelight beam having a third intensity.
 7. The portable LED lighting unitof claim 1, further comprising a control chip operably configured to thesemiconductor substrate, the at least one white LED chip, the at leastone red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chip and the at least onegreen LED chip.
 8. The portable LED lighting unit of claim 7, whereinthe control chip is configured to regulate thermal output and powerconsumption.
 9. The portable LED lighting unit of claim 7, wherein thecontrol chip is configured to control the intensity of the light emittedby the at least one white LED chip, the at least one red LED chip, theat least one blue LED chip and the at least one green LED chip.
 10. Theportable LED lighting unit of claim 7, wherein the portable LED lightingunit comprises a flashlight.
 11. A portable LED lighting unit forproviding a plurality of individually selectable colored beams withoutthe use of filters, the lighting unit comprising: a housing; a powersupply source attached to the housing; and a multi-chip lamp sourceassembly operably configured to the power source, the multi-chip lampsource assembly comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a firstside; at least one white light emitting diode (LED) chip operablyconfigured to the first side of the semiconductor substrate to provide asubstantially white light beam; at least one red LED chip operablyconfigured to the first side of the semiconductor substrate to emit asubstantially red light beam; at least one blue LED chip operablyconfigured to the first side of the semiconductor substrate to emit asubstantially blue light beam; at least one green LED chip operablyconfigured to the first side of the semiconductor substrate to emit asubstantially green light beam; and a lens positioned over the firstside of the semiconductor substrate and the lens positioned above the atleast one white LED chip, the at least one red LED chip, the at leastone blue LED chip and the at least one green LED chip to thereby encaseeach chip therewithin; and wherein the at least one white LED chip, theat least one red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chip, and the leastone green LED are configured to be actuatable to create at least twowhite light beams of different intensities.
 12. The portable LEDlighting unit of claim 11, wherein the at least one white LED chip, theat least one red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chip and the atleast one green LED chip are configured to be actuated individually andsaid at least one white LED chip can be individually actuated to providea substantially white light beam having a first intensity.
 13. Theportable LED lighting unit of claim 12, wherein the at least one whiteLED chip is configured to emit light simultaneously with the at leastone red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chip and the at least onegreen LED chip to provide a white light beam having a second intensity.14. The portable LED lighting unit of claim 13, wherein the secondintensity is greater than the first intensity, thereby providingmulti-output brightness.
 15. The portable LED lighting unit of claim 11,wherein the at least one red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chipand the at least one green LED chip are configured to emit lightsimultaneously that overlaps to provide a white light beam having athird intensity.
 16. The portable LED lighting unit of claim 11, whereinthe lamp is configured to provide the light emission source of aflashlight.
 17. The portable LED lighting unit of claim 16, wherein acontrol chip is used to control the actuation of individual chips andsets of chips.
 18. The portable LED lighting unit of claim 11, furthercomprising a control chip operably configured to the semiconductorsubstrate, the at least one white LED chip, the at least one red LEDchip, the at least one blue LED chip and the at least one green LEDchip.
 19. The portable LED lighting unit of claim 18, wherein thecontrol chip is configured to regulate thermal output and powerconsumption.
 20. The portable LED lighting unit of claim 18, wherein thecontrol chip is configured to control the intensity of the light emittedby the at least one white LED chip, the at least one red LED chip, theat least one blue LED chip and the at least one green LED chip.
 21. Theportable LED lighting unit of claim 18, wherein the portable LEDlighting unit comprises a flashlight.
 22. A method of forming a portableLED lighting unit for providing a plurality of individually selectablecolored beams without the use of filters, the method comprising:providing a housing; providing a power supply source that is carried bythe housing; and configuring a multi-chip lamp source assembly operablyto the power source, the multi-chip lamp source assembly comprising: asemiconductor substrate; at least one white light emitting diode (LED)chip configured to the semiconductor substrate such that the at leastone white LED chip is configured to emit a substantially white light; atleast one red LED chip configured to the semiconductor substrate, the atleast one red LED chip configured to emit a substantially red lightbeam; at least one blue LED chip configured to the semiconductorsubstrate, the at least one blue LED chip configured to emit asubstantially blue light beam; and at least one green LED chipconfigured to the semiconductor substrate, the at least one green LEDchip configured to emit a substantially green light beam; and whereinthe at least one white LED chip, the at least one red LED chip, the atleast one blue LED chip, and the least one green LED are configured tobe actuatable to create at least two white light beams of differentintensities.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one whiteLED chip, the at least one red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chipand the at least one green LED chip are attached in a centered andsymmetrical configuration on the semiconductor substrate.
 24. The methodof claim 22, further comprising the step of attaching a control chip tothe substrate for regulating thermal output and power consumption. 25.The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of operablyconfiguring a control chip to the at least one white LED chip, the atleast one red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chip and the at leastone green LED chip for actuating individual chips and sets of chips inorder to selectively provide one of a substantially red light beam, asubstantially blue light beam, a substantially green light beam, a firstintensity white light beam, a second intensity white light beam, and athird intensity white light beam.
 26. A portable LED lighting unit forproviding a plurality of individually selectable colored beams, thelighting unit comprising: a housing; a power supply source carried bythe housing; and a multi-chip lamp source assembly operably configuredto the power supply source, the multi-chip lamp source assemblycomprising: a semiconductor substrate having a center; at least onewhite light emitting diode (LED) chip operably configured to thesemiconductor substrate to emit a substantially white light beam; atleast one red LED chip operably configured to the semiconductorsubstrate to emit a substantially red light beam; at least one blue LEDchip operably configured to the semiconductor substrate to emit asubstantially blue light beam; and at least one green LED chip operablyconfigured to the semiconductor substrate to emit a substantially greenlight beam; and wherein the at least one red LED chip, the at least oneblue LED chip, and the least one green LED are configured to beequidistant from the center of the substrate.
 27. The portable LEDlighting unit of claim 26, wherein the at least one white LED chip, theat least one red LED chip, the at least one blue LED chip, and the leastone green LED are configured in a centered and symmetrical configurationon the substrate.
 28. A portable handheld LED lighting devicecomprising: a housing configured to be portable and to be sized topermit a user to carry the device in the hand of the user; a powersupply source carried by the housing; and a multi-chip lamp sourceassembly operably configured to the power supply source, the multi-chiplamp source assembly comprising: a semiconductor substrate; at least twolight emitting diode (LED) chips operably configured to thesemiconductor substrate to form a single LED package, the LED chipscomprising at least two different colored LED chips, and beingconfigured to be actuatable either individually or together to provideselectable colored light beams.
 29. The portable handheld LED lightingdevice of claim 28, wherein the at least two LED chips are selected froma group consisting of a white LED chip, a red LED chip, a blue LED chipand a green LED chip.
 30. The portable handheld LED lighting device ofclaim 29, wherein the at least two LED chips comprise at least one whiteLED chip, at least one red LED chip, at least one blue LED chip and atleast one green LED chip are configured in a centered and symmetricalconfiguration the substrate.
 31. The portable handheld LED lightingdevice of claim 28, wherein the at least two LED chips are configured tobe actuatable to create at least two white light beams of differentintensities.